Burning Tongue and Gum Irritation

[Pat625]

Every time I have my teeth cleaned I develop burning tongue the next day. It lasts a week or two and then goes away.  Also, I tried using a SonicCare toothbrush for several months, and had burning tongue the whole time until I stopped using the brush.  Can something which irritates my gums cause burning tongue?  My gums do not burn or hurt -- only my tongue.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

That is a bit unusual.  The only thing I can think of that is similar between a dental cleaning and a sonicare may be the vibrations generated during cleanings but I'm not sure as to why it would induce those symptoms in the tongue.  Do you brush your tongue with your sonic care?  Are you perhaps using a more aggressive setting on your brush?

[Pat625]

Normal brushing and flossing has no effect on my tongue.  I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Its interesting how it occurs with the SonicCare toothbrush.  Does normal brushing with a regular manual tooth brush have any effect?

[Pat625]

The symptom of burning tongue continued while I used the SonicCare toothbrush.  I felt a lot of vibration against my gums.  Other than that and the dental cleaning, I have not had the symptom.  My dentist has no clue as to why this has happened.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Seems unlikely although it is odd that the burning sensation occurs only after a dental cleaning and not anything else.  Have you asked your dentist at all?  Perhaps you're allergic to something that is used during dental cleanings?  Does your symptoms appear at any other time?